Palestinian Health Ministry: 16 Coronavirus Cases, 18 in Quarantine, 350 in Isolation at Home

March 7, 2020 Blog, News
Several people are under quarantine at a hotel in Bethlehem, as number of coronavirus cases rises to 16. (Photo: File)

The Palestinian Health Ministry said today in its daily report that there are 16 confirmed coronavirus cases in Palestine so far, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

In addition, 18 were placed in special quarantine for 14 days, 16 of them in the West Bank city of Jericho and two at Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt, and 350 people were told to isolate themselves at home, said the ministry.

The Ministry said that 32 others are kept in quarantine at Angel Hotel in Bethlehem, the same hotel were the confirmed 16 cases of coronavirus are kept, and 15 others at Paradise Hotel also in Bethlehem where infected tourists seem to have been.

It also added that tests were conducted on 500 people suspected of contracting the disease but all turned out negative.

Palestinian Authority  President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree on Thursday, declaring a state of emergency in Palestine for one month.

Soon after, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, in his efforts to fight the coronavirus, decided to shut down the country for one month, starting at 8:00 am local time on Friday morning.

All kinds of gathering, celebrations, demonstrations, and strikes have been prohibited throughout Palestine and each governor in his governorate was charged with implementing these procedures as security forces will be deployed to implement these decisions.

Media statements from any official except those authorized by the Prime Minister were also prohibited.

(Palestine Chronicle, WAFA, Social Media)

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